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  • Work on ‘Digital Silk Route’ link connecting Pakistan to Egypt to start in March


Work on ‘Digital Silk Route’ link connecting Pakistan to Egypt to start in March

In this photo, fiber optic cable, 24 Tbps SEA-ME-WE-5 (high speed submarine cable) is being deployed at Transworld landing station Hawke's Bay Karachi, Pakistan on September 23, 2016. (Photo courtesy: Khizan photography)
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Updated 09 February 2021
KHURSHID AHMED 
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Work on ‘Digital Silk Route’ link connecting Pakistan to Egypt to start in March

  • Pakistan all set to be connected with rest of the world by year end via China’s Digital Silk Route land and submarine cable network
  • Initiated under Belt and Road Initiative, the high-speed, 15,000 km subsea cable system will offer high-capacity, low-latency routes connecting China, Europe and Africa
Updated 09 February 2021
KHURSHID AHMED 

KARACHI: Pakistan is all set to be directly connected with the rest of the world by the end of this year via the Digital Silk Route (DSR), a land and submarine cable network initiated by China under its Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), Pakistani officials said, with cable deployment work on the most vital final link that will connect Karachi, Pakistan, with Zafarana, Egypt, to start next month. 
The network, called the Pakistan and East Africa Connecting Europe (PEACE), is a high-speed, 15,000 km subsea cable system that will offer high-capacity, low-latency routes connecting China, Europe and Africa. In addition to France, the cable will land in Malta, Cyprus, Egypt, Djibouti, Kenya, Pakistan and other countries and regions, with onwards terrestrial connectivity to China.
A majority of the work on the project has been completed, a top official in charge of the project told Arab News on Monday.
“All approvals have been granted by the government,” said Maroof Ali Shahani, Chief Operating Officer of Cybernet, the cable landing partner for PEACE in Pakistan, said. “Work on the deployment of cable will start in March (2021).” 
“Everything is on track. The work on the cable landing station is already underway in Karachi,” Shahani said adding: “The project is slated to be completed in the fourth quarter of the current year.”
The cable will be laid in the Arabian Sea by a consortium comprising telecom companies from Pakistan, Africa, France, Egypt, and Hong Kong. The consortium is headed by the Hengtong Group, China’s leading cable manufacturer.
The PEACE cable in Pakistan will be connected with the China-Pakistan Cross Border Fibre Optical Cable which has already been completed under the China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) initiative. The fiber optic cable, covering an area of 820 km, connects China with Pakistan through Gilgit Baltistan, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, and Punjab. It was completed back in 2018 at a cost of $37.4 million. The existing terrestrial network will be utilized to connect the cable with PEACE in Sindh for onward link, according to official documents. 
In November 2020, the first cable loading for the Mediterranean Segment (PEACE Med) was successfully achieved and work on the Egypt-France route was started. 
In the first phase, PEACE will connect the three most populated continents in the world and provide critical interconnection to the economic corridors of Asia, Europe, and Africa. 
A total capacity of 96 Tbps (terabits per second) will be added to Pakistan’s Internet infrastructure through the project, officials said. The round trip delay between Karachi and Marseilles (Pakistan-France) would be 89 millizecond.
“PEACE is offering better speed, better capacity and giving direct route,” Pervaiz Iftikhar, a member of the prime minister’s task-force on IT and Telecom, told Arab News. “Since it is direct it means latency, the time for the flow of data will be less.”
“It [PEACE] would drastically improve the data transmission performance and help to accelerate digital transformation in the participating nations on an unprecedented scale,” said Dr. Muhammad Khurram Khan, the founder and CEO of the Global Foundation for Cyber Studies and Research in Washington DC.
However, he warned that global reliance on submarine cables could exacerbate cybersecurity concerns.

“Though such cables have very strong resilience against accidental or natural damages,” Khan said, “but risks associated with cyberattacks, data theft, and sabotage by state and non-state actors should never be overlooked.”
 

Topics: Pakistan Pakistan and East Africa Connecting Europe (PEACE) Digital Silk Route (DSR)

Pakistani writers say Abu Dhabi book fair opportunity to promote country’s talent, rich culture

Updated 43 min 38 sec ago
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Pakistani writers say Abu Dhabi book fair opportunity to promote country’s talent, rich culture

  • Abu Dhabi International Book Fair kicked off on Apr. 29 and is scheduled to continue till May 5
  • In a first, Pakistani writers will take part in the fair to discuss country’s literature and fiction works 
Updated 43 min 38 sec ago
SAIMA SHABBIR

ISLAMABAD: Pakistani writers taking part in the Abu Dhabi International Book Fair on Wednesday hailed the platform as a crucial opportunity for the South Asian country to promote its culture and dispel negative stereotypes associated with the nation. 

The international fair kicked off on Apr. 9 and is scheduled to continue till May 5 in Abu Dhabi. It is an annual event that brings different writers together to promote reading, diverse cultures and knowledge locally, regionally, and globally. Organizers of the fair say their aim is also to promote cultural exchange and dialogue between several nations.

It also brings together leaders from the publishing and creative industries every year, providing promising opportunities for those involved in this sector to form new partnerships, learn about the latest trends and developments, and discuss its fundamental priorities.

For the first time ever, Pakistani writers are taking part in the international festival in two different sessions slated to be held on May 1 and May 3. 

“Pakistan’s maiden participation in this event is crucial not only for the diaspora but also for familiarizing the Gulf and the world with Pakistan’s cultural richness, countering stereotypes, and dispelling reductionist descriptions,” Dr. Osama Siddique, a Pakistani novelist, told Arab News from Abu Dhabi.

Pakistani envoy to UAE, Faisal Niaz Tirmizi (left), visits the Pakistani stall at the Abu Dhabi International Book Fair in Abu Dhabi, UAE on April 30, 2024. (Pakistan mission in UAE )

Siddique is part of a panel that will discuss the state of Pakistan’s literary on May 3. He said Pakistani literature has struggled on the global stage due to a lack of support from the state, ineffective institutions, expensive printing materials and a lack of publishing industry development.

“Writers need to be proactive, and publishers must elevate their standards, and events like this provide a perfect platform for this,” he added.

He said Pakistan often falls short of showcasing its rich civilization, culture, and literature, despite the country’s profound historical and linguistic heritage spanning over 9,000 years.

He said Pakistani writers, local entrepreneurs and the Pakistani embassy in UAE collaborated to ensure Pakistan’s participation in the annual fair for the first time this year. 

“It’s a start, albeit insufficient,” he said. 

Pakistani writers participate at the Abu Dhabi International Book Fair in Abu Dhabi, UAE on May 01, 2024. (Dr. Osama Siddique)

“It is vital to capitalize on such opportunities, considering the significant cultural investments made by the Gulf states in education, literature, and the arts,” he noted.

Tahira Iqbal, a Pakistani novelist who writes in Urdu, said participating in such events is crucial as it allows one to connect with writers from diverse backgrounds, languages, and regions. 

Iqbal will also attend the May 3 session with Siddique as a panelist. 

“Although Pakistani fiction is of high quality, it has not garnered significant recognition on the global stage, so participating in such events can address this issue,” Iqbal told Arab News. 

Shazia Ali Khan, a UAE-based Urdu film screenplay writer, said such events provided an opportunity for writers to challenge preconceived notions about their country, its culture, and the role of women within it.

“So it is almost like an ambassadorial or diplomatic mission, where just us being there and speaking our minds may or may not remove any notions in people’s minds about where we come from, what our culture is, and how empowered the women are,” Khan told Arab News.

Khan stressed that Pakistani writers should ensure their literary works are translated so that they reach a wider audience, noting how most literary works originating from Pakistan were in Urdu language. 

“In the absence of good translations and the proper sort of publishing houses backing all of this up to get to the end user is a bit difficult,” Khan pointed out. 

Faisal Niaz Tirmizi, Pakistan’s ambassador to the UAE, said the country’s participation in the event is a testament to the rich literary heritage and vibrant intellectual discourse that it possesses.

“This representation not only showcases the diversity and creativity of Pakistani literature but also fosters meaningful cultural exchanges on a global platform,” he told Arab News.

By engaging in such events, Tirmizi said Pakistan played a crucial role in promoting cross-cultural understanding, fostering dialogue, and building bridges of friendship and cooperation between nations.

Topics: Abu Dhabi Book Fair Pakistan writers

Students in Lahore protest America’s ‘hypocritical’ support for Israel’s war in Gaza

Updated 01 May 2024
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Students in Lahore protest America’s ‘hypocritical’ support for Israel’s war in Gaza

  • Students say United States raises rights concerns everywhere without criticizing Israel for its occupation
  • They block the road leading to the American consulate, make fiery speeches and chant slogans for hours
Updated 01 May 2024
Haseeb Asif

LAHORE: A student organization blocked the road leading to the United States Consulate in Lahore on Tuesday, protesting the American support for Israel’s war in Gaza by making fiery speeches for several hours and chanting pro-Palestine slogans.
The Progressive Students’ Collective (PSC) is a student-led movement in Pakistan which has staged protests in solidarity with the Palestinian cause, including disrupting a speech by the German ambassador to the country last week.
Both students and civil society activists highlighted the “glaring hypocrisy” of western nations like the United States and Germany, saying they raised human rights concerns in the developing states while staying silent about the plight of Palestinians under Israeli occupation.
A media statement issued by the PSC advocated for Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions (BDS) against Israel and its powerful state and corporate funders while highlighting the Palestinian rights to resist, right and self-determination.
There were hundreds of Palestinian flags and people wearing keffiyeh, chanting slogans in favor of intifada and revolution.
“When looking at atrocities being committed across the globe, [we have to ask] who is enabling them,” 23-year-old Ali Raza, who delivered the opening address at the protest, told Arab News. “It is on American shoulders that Israelis put their weapons before firing them at Palestinians.”
He went on to describe Israel as a “proxy state,” policing the Middle East for “western imperial powers.”
Raza, the former PSC vice president, said the students chose the US consulate as the venue for protest because since it was the largest state funder of Israeli occupation.
Earlier, the told the gathering the US monitored freedom of expression across the world, but police officers retrain American university professors by force who speak up for Palestinian rights, adding that was what hypocrisy looked like.
At the Asma Jahangir Conference in Lahore last Saturday, the current PSC spokesperson, Ali Abdullah Khan, protested against the German ambassador’s speech and disrupted him while he was discussing civil rights in South Asia.
“We protested against him, protested against his invitation [to the conference],” he told Arab News.
Khan said the students’ collective wanted to make Pakistan an important part of the global student-led BDS movement against Israel.
He pointed out the PSC wanted to show solidarity with the students who were being expelled from Columbia University in New York for protesting against the Israeli occupation.
“We support the Palestinian right to resist, we support the Palestinian right to return, we support the Palestinian right to self-determination,” Khan said in his speech to the demonstration. “We want to talk about putting an end to settler colonialism, putting an end to imperialism and we want to talk about a free and independent Palestinian state.”

Topics: War on Gaza Pakistan Palestine

Pakistan’s army chief meets top UK generals at regional stabilization conference

Updated 01 May 2024
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Pakistan’s army chief meets top UK generals at regional stabilization conference

  • A 30-member UK delegation is visiting Pakistan until May 3 for the flagship UK-Pakistan security dialogue
  • The scope of the discussion this year has been expanded from bilateral to regional issues amid volatility
Updated 01 May 2024
Arab News Pakistan

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s army chief General Asim Munir held a meeting with the United Kingdom’s Chief of the General Staff (CGS) General Patrick Sanders on the sidelines of the opening session of the 6th Pakistan-UK Regional Stabilization Conference at the National Defense University on Wednesday.
According to the military’s media wing, ISPR, the conference is a flagship defense and security dialogue alternatively hosted by the two states, bringing together experts from diverse fields including diplomats, defense officials, scholars and civil society representatives.

Currently, a 30-member UK delegation is visiting Pakistan in connection with the conference and will stay in the country until May 3.
“This year, the scope of discussion has been expanded from bilateral to regional issues and defense officials of both countries are also participating in the conference,” the ISPR said.
It mentioned the meeting of Pakistan’s chief of army staff (COAS) with General Sanders and the British CGS-designate General Roland Walker in which measures related to further enhancing bilateral defense ties came under discussion.
“The COAS thanked General Patrick Sanders for his services in enhancing bilateral military ties and felicitated General Roland Walker on his nomination as the next CGS of the UK Army,” it added.

Topics: Pakistan UK Ties ISPR

Pakistan’s deputy PM arrives in Gambia to discuss Gaza, Kashmir at OIC summit

Updated 01 May 2024
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Pakistan’s deputy PM arrives in Gambia to discuss Gaza, Kashmir at OIC summit

  • Ishaq Dar plans to highlight the need to find collective solutions to challenges confronting the Muslim world
  • Dar, who also holds external affairs portfolio, will first attend foreign ministers’ meeting before the weekend summit
Updated 01 May 2024
SAIMA SHABBIR

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s newly appointed Deputy Prime Minister Ishaq Dar arrived in Gambia on Wednesday to represent his country at the 15th summit of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) where he will discuss the situation in Gaza and present Pakistan’s case on Kashmir.
The OIC summits are convened to discuss and address major issues affecting the Muslim world, ranging from political and economic challenges to social and cultural matters.
These summits aim to promote Muslim solidarity in social and political affairs, coordinate efforts to safeguard the interests and well-being of Muslims and work toward resolving conflicts and issues in the Muslim world.
Dar, who also holds the portfolio of external affairs, will first participate in the two-day OIC Council of Foreign Ministers’ meeting beginning Thursday before the summit over the weekend.
“At the Summit, the Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister will speak about Pakistan’s perspective on the ongoing genocide in Gaza, the right to self-determination of the people of Jammu & Kashmir, imperatives of solidarity and unity of the Ummah, rising Islamophobia, issues of climate change, terrorism and other contemporary global challenges,” the foreign office said in a statement.
“He will underline the need to find collective solutions to challenges confronting the Muslim Ummah,” it added.
The Pakistani foreign office noted the summit was being convened at a critical time for the Muslim world as the war on the people of Gaza was still continuing.
It described it as an important occasion for the OIC leaders to deliberate upon the dire situation in Gaza and project a strong, collective and unified stance on the Palestinian question.
“On the sidelines, the Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister will hold bilateral meetings with leaders and Foreign Ministers participating in the Summit,” it added.

Innovative ambulance service in Pakistani capital offers care for mental health patients

Updated 01 May 2024
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Innovative ambulance service in Pakistani capital offers care for mental health patients

  • According to World Health Organization, 24 million people in the country are affected by mental health issues
  • Embrace ambulance service has been exclusively focusing on mental health patients since its initiation in 2021
Updated 01 May 2024
SAIMA SHABBIR

ISLAMABAD: Located just 30 minutes from Islamabad in the picturesque village of Pind Begwal, a unique ambulance center focuses exclusively on mental health patients in and around Pakistan’s federal capital.
The service, named Embrace, was initiated as a pilot project by public health professional Abdullah bin Abbas during the COVID-19 pandemic before it was officially launched last month.
The center addresses Pakistan’s significant mental health challenges, where about 24 million people are affected according to 2023 World Health Organization estimates.
It provides specialized transportation for patients, many of whom display behaviors that are challenging for families to manage, such as isolation or suicidal tendencies.
Operating three ambulances, the service focuses on discreetly moving patients to receive appropriate care, thereby helping to mitigate the stigma associated with mental health issues in the country.
“Since it’s official launch, we have received an amazing response from the public and we have handled 60 to 70 cases just within the past month and this volume is increasing regularly,” Abbas, the center’s chief executive officer, told Arab News on Tuesday.
The concept of mental health ambulances was first tested in Sweden to assist those experiencing psychological distress. This innovative approach allowed for basic help and services to be delivered directly to individuals’ doorsteps, providing timely treatment and transportation to rehabilitation facilities when needed.
Abbas noted that even in major Pakistani cities, the mental health care infrastructure was inadequate. He pointed out this also prompted him to launch the ambulance service after securing initial funding from Columbia University.
“There are a lot of rehab centers and clinics that are being operated in some very unethical environments,” he continued. “So, what we wanted to do was provide a service to the general public which is accessible, affordable and operated in a professional and ethical manner.”
He noted that Embrace had established standards in line with international protocols, under the guidance of an oversight committee that included psychiatrists and psychologists.
He also pointed out that the transport vehicles were designed to be discreet, without any markings to indicate they were serving mental health patients.
“We have a total staff of 15 people that includes both men and women, and they have been extensively trained in psychological first aid, compassionate communication, and how to handle psychiatric patients,” he said, adding that the Embrace staff had interned at various psychiatric clinics and learned how to respond to emergencies.
To make the venture financially viable, the ambulance facility charges for its services based on the patient’s financial condition while keeping it free for deserving patients.
Zainab Nosheen, a first responder nurse at the center, said whenever a call for the ambulance service comes in, the team investigates whether the person needs to be shifted to a health care facility.
“If there is a female patient, then female staff go and help the patient shift to the desired hospital or clinic,” she said, adding the first step was a conversation with the family about the patient’s condition.
“Then, our first attempt is to make the patient agree to go to the doctor with us,” she added. “For that, we have different strategies which vary from patient to patient. At times, our communication takes 30 to 40 minutes to convince the patient to come with us.”
Arshad Mahmood, another first responder, said he had transported 25 patients using the Embrace ambulance service in the last two years, noting that some patients exhibited violent and threatening behavior.
“To deal with such situations, we have also taken self-defense training,” he told Arab News.
“Once we shift the patient into the ambulance, then the attendant decides which hospital to take them to for treatment, and we act accordingly,” he added.

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Pakistani writers say Abu Dhabi book fair opportunity to promote country’s talent, rich culture

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